Weakness or Compassion
by suzie2b
Summary: Moffitt goes missing.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Weakness or Compassion**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Troy and Moffitt were heading for the motor pool after receiving their patrol orders from Captain Boggs. They were halfway there when Moffitt stopped suddenly and started to search his pockets.**

 **Troy turned as he stopped and asked, "What's wrong, Moffitt?"**

" **I can't seem to locate my Tommy Touchwud charm."**

" **Your what?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "It's a silver charm that my mother gave me when I left for the army. My uncle carried it during his time in WWI. It's supposed to bring the barrier luck."**

 **Troy smiled as he said, "I didn't think you were the type to believe in good luck charms."**

" **Actually, I don't. However, out here we need all the help we can get and my uncle swears by the thing. My mother will be very disappointed if I've lost it. Perhaps I left it in the shirt I wore yesterday."**

 **Troy glanced at his watch. "Why don't you go take a look in our quarters and I'll meet you at the jeeps."**

 **Moffitt nodded with a smile. "I'll only be a few minutes behind you."**

 **#################**

 **Troy paced in front of the jeeps as he looked at his watch and puffed on a cigarette. "It's been forty-five minutes. Where is he?"**

 **Hitch said, "Maybe Moffitt didn't find the charm in his shirt. He could still be looking and lost track of time."**

 **Troy stopped and stared out in the direction that his fellow sergeant would come from. "Yeah, maybe. Tully, stay here in case he shows up. Hitch, you're with me."**

 **Troy and Hitch went to the quarters the sergeants shared. When they went inside, they found everything in order. Troy went to where he knew Moffitt kept his dirty laundry. He picked up the shirt on top of the small pile and searched the pockets. In the left breast pocket Troy found a small silver charm with the words "Tommy Touchwud" emblazoned around a goofy looking round figure wearing a military cap.**

 **Troy made a fist around the charm and said to Hitch, "He never got here."**

 **Hitch said, "We've got to search for him."**

" **Where would we look? He was coming here for this and then going to the motor pool. If he got sidetracked somehow, he would've found a way to get us a message if he could."**

 **Troy dropped the silver charm into his shirt pocket. "Go get Tully and meet me at headquarters. I'm going to talk to Captain Boggs."**

 **#################**

 **When Moffitt opened his eyes, he had a splitting headache. He reached up and felt the large bump on the back of his head with a pained groan. He looked up and discovered he was in some sort of tent. It was light and airy, certainly not military issue.**

 **Moffitt slowly sat up and realized he'd been lying on a mass of brightly colored pillows. He hadn't been bound so he got to his feet and looked around. Moffitt noticed the tent flap moving by a slight breeze and walked across to the opening. He moved the flap aside and stepped outside, only to be stopped by two rather burly guards. Moffitt demanded to know what was going on. "** ان ما يحدث هنا"

 **One of the guards put a meaty hand on Moffitt's chest and told him to wait inside. "** انتظروا وسترون داخل"

 **Moffitt backed through the tent's doorway as the one guard told the other to get their leader. Inside again the sergeant moved around the tent trying to find something he could use as a weapon, but all he found was a table with a pitcher of water and a glass. Suddenly realizing how thirsty he was, Moffitt poured a glass of water and drank it down. He was pouring a second when the tent flap was moved aside and a rather formidable looking man walked in wearing Arabic robes.**

 **Moffitt immediately recognized him and said with audible shock, "Roger Cox? What in the devil are you doing here?"**

 **Cox said in perfect Queen's English, "Jack Moffitt. Long time no see."**

 **#################**

 **Captain Boggs immediately ordered a search of the base. Troy, Hitch, and Tully returned to the captain's office after a two hour search to report they'd had no luck. As they were talking, there was a knock at the door.**

 **Boggs called, "Come!"**

 **Captain Nelson, who was in charge of the on base MPs, walked in and said, "One of my men found this in the alley behind the barracks." He handed the beret to Troy. "Is it Sergeant Moffitt's?"**

 **Troy took it and ran his thumb over the pin that indicated he was part of the Royal Scots Greys. "Yeah, it's his, captain."**

" **We're still looking, Troy. If he's anywhere on this base, we'll find him."**

 **After Nelson left the office, Troy said, "They're not going to find Moffitt on base, sir."**

 **Captain Boggs asked, "How can you be so sure? He could've been taken to the Arab quarter."**

" **I don't think so. Whoever has him wouldn't want him to be recognized, and there's plenty in the Arab quarter that know Moffitt. He was somehow lured into that alley and then taken out of Ras Tanura by force."**

 **Tully asked worriedly, "Can we go look for him, captain?"**

 **Boggs mulled the question over, weighing the pros and cons. Then he said, "All right, go ahead. But keep in contact in case he is located somewhere here."**

 **#################**

 **Two wooden chairs were brought into the tent. Cox said, "Have a seat, Jack. You look at bit pale."**

 **Moffitt frowned angrily. "I'd feel a lot better if one of your friends hadn't hit me in the head!"**

" **I am sorry about that. He said you were struggling and he was afraid someone would hear the commotion."**

" **I'd like an answer to my question, Roger. What are you doing here?"**

 **Cox sat down as he said, "I'm here doing the same thing you are. Fighting the war. Only I'm doing it my way and for my reasons." He again offered Moffitt a seat in the other chair, then said, "After my stint in the stockade, I was drummed out of the British Army. Then I managed to get myself into a lot of trouble and ended up in a civilian prison."**

 **Moffitt ignored the offered chair as he smiled sarcastically. "My, what a surprise. You witnessed a sexual assault other soldiers and didn't bother to report it. Then you went AWOL to avoid any charges. I was surprised you weren't put in the stockade for life when they finally caught you."**

" **It's called a 'plea deal', my dear Jack. I received a reduced sentence for identifying that poor woman's attackers."**

" **You said you went to a civilian prison. How much time did you do?"**

 **Cox said, "Six months into a three year sentence the prison system offered me a deal. They said the British Army was a bit shorthanded, so they agreed to let me out if I joined, apparently never realizing my prior conviction by the army."**

 **Moffitt sneered, "I'm sure the army was glad to have you back."**

" **On the contrary. I was despised by everyone who found out who I was. So, when I was sent here to North Africa with my Division, I took the first opportunity to walk away."**

" **So, again you're a wanted man."**

 **Cox sighed. "Yes, I'm wanted, but they don't seem to be looking very hard."**

 **A British accented voice said from outside, "Hey, Roger, I need to talk to you."**

 **Cox called back, "Come on in here. There's someone I'd like you to meet." When the man entered the tent, Cox introduced him. "Daniel Woods, meet Jack Moffitt. He's an old friend of mine."**

 **Moffitt growled, "We were never friends, Roger."**

 **Cox smiled. "Well, we** _ **were**_ **in the same unit there in the beginning." He looked at the stocky Brit standing next to him and said, "Danny here got the same deal I got and chose to join me when I left our Division."**

" **What exactly are the two of you doing? Are you running guns?"**

" **Among other things. We buy, sell, and trade whatever we can to whomever wants it. And it's usually the Germans who want it most."**

 **Woods said, "Eventually, we'll have enough to buy our way out of here."**

 **Moffitt mentioned, "They're fighting in Europe as well, you know."**

" **We aren't stupid. We plan to go to America."**

 **Cox frowned. "That's enough, Danny boy. What'd you need to talk to me about?"**

 **Woods replied, "That shipment for the Germans is ready to go."**

" **Good. We'll add our friend Jack here to it. Captain Dietrich will be happy to pay the bounty for one of the Rat Patrol."**

 **#################**

 **Troy, Hitch, and Tully searched for hours, but had seen nothing with the exception of one of Captain Dietrich's scout columns. Under normal circumstances they would've gladly engaged in a little confrontation with the good captain and his men. However, this wasn't the time for their usual game of cat and mouse.**

 **They were stopped next to a sand dune. Tully was in the back of the jeep on watch. Troy and Hitch had a map spread out on the hood to plot their next move.**

 **Hitch circled an area with his finger as he suggested, "If it was Arabs that took Moffitt, there's been word of an encampment here to the southeast. It's a fairly new setup."**

 **Troy said, "I've heard that too."**

" **He could've been taken there."**

 **Tully said, "Yeah, it's reported to be a good sized camp. But why would they want Moffitt?"**

 **Troy said, "We're wanted men. The Germans would pay dearly for any one of us."**

" **You think someone's going to give Moffitt to the Germans for the bounty?"**

 **Troy replied, "It's been going through my mind that way."**

 **Hitch said, "It's been tried before. We'll get him back."**

" **Dietrich's column was headed out in that general direction." Troy started to fold up the map. "Let's go check out that encampment."**

 **They drove for about an hour before the encampment came into view. The area was scanned with binoculars to be sure it wouldn't be a trap. When they were satisfied, they headed in.**

 **As the jeeps neared, there was a rush of activity and armed Arabs stopped them at the perimeter of the camp. Troy got out and said, "Cover me."**

 **Hitch manned the 50 and Tully took a machine gun from its fender holster as he stood up on the seat. As Troy approached the guards, one Arab, smaller than the others, pushed through the line of men to meet him. The sergeant asked, "English?"**

 **The Arab nodded. "Some."**

" **We're looking for a British sergeant that was kidnapped from our base at Ras Tanura."**

" **Not here."**

 **Troy watched the small Arab for any signs of a lie. "Can you ask around? Maybe someone knows something."**

" **No. You leave now."**

" **Maybe I can take a look around real quick."**

 **A white man dressed in Arab robes pushed past the guards, saying, "Suhail, what's going on?"**

 **The small Arab turned and said, "** انهم يبحثون عن الرقيب"

 **Woods looked at Troy and said, "We haven't seen any strangers here."**

 **Troy said, "Maybe one of your men knows something."**

" **I told you, sergeant, there's been no one here."**

" **Can I ask you another question?"**

 **Woods nodded. "Sure, I suppose so."**

 **Troy said, "It's a little unusual for a nonmilitary Englishman to be out here with a desert tribe. What do you do?"**

" **Archaeology."**

 **Troy was intrigued by the answer. "Funny … you don't look like the type to be an archaeologist."**

 **Woods said curtly, "I believe it's time for you to take your men and leave … now."**

 **Troy quickly pulled his pistol and pointed it at Woods. The Arab guards, just as quickly, leveled their rifles at Troy. Suhail scrambled to get behind the guards as Tully let loose with a burst of machine gun fire that riddled the sand at the Arabs feet.**

 **Troy was the only one that didn't jump. "Next time he won't be aiming at their feet."**

 **Woods stood up from where he'd thrown himself down and brushed himself off as he said, "Geez! You don't have to get all up in arms!"**

" **Then tell me where Sergeant Moffitt is!"**

" **I can't do that!"**

 **Troy pointed his pistol at one of the guards and pulled the trigger, hitting him in the shoulder while the others looked on in shock. Then he stepped up to Woods and put the muzzle against the side of his head. "Now, tell me again that you can't tell me where my man is."**

 **##################**

 **The truck pulled to a stop at a waterhole. Cox looked across the seat at Moffitt and said, "Get out."**

 **Moffitt got out and looked around, watching Cox's men jump from the back. "What are we doing here?"**

" **This is where we meet Captain Dietrich."**

" **Why not in your camp?"**

 **Cox smiled. "Too vulnerable. If something should go wrong during an exchange, I don't risk losing too much. You may as well get comfortable, Jack. We've got at least an hour's wait."**

 **Moffitt sat down on the running board of the truck. "You've got it all figured out, don't you? Hasn't it occurred to you that people are probably looking for me?"**

" **That's precisely why I'm doing this now."**

" **Why me, Roger?"**

 **Cox sighed. "I learned about the Rat Patrol during my dealings with Captain Dietrich. He mentioned you by name, along with the other three. I remembered you quite well. You were always the stand-up guy … truth, honesty, and all that. Always willing to help with all your college education." When there was no comment from Moffitt, he continued, "You made sergeant pretty quickly. Yes, I was jealous, which is why you and I never got along."**

 **Moffitt said, "I always thought it was because you were such a trouble maker."**

 **Cox shook his head. "No, it was definitely because you were always Major Jones' pet. He really did like you, you know. But he didn't like me at all. He even told me that I would never amount to anything. And then I spent time in that military stockade and was dishonorably discharged. I wasn't even out a year when I landed in a civilian prison." He looked wistfully out at the desert as he continued, "I know you better than you think, Jack. I learned your strengths and weaknesses while we worked together in that unit. That's why I picked you. I knew that if an Arab cried out for your help, you wouldn't refuse. Danny said you followed Suhail quite easily into that alley."**

 **Moffitt frowned. "He told me his daughter had fallen and injured her leg. He asked me to help him get her to a doctor."**

 **Cox looked at him with a smile. "And that, my dear Jack, is one of your weaknesses."**

" **I like to think it's what makes me human."**

 **##################**

 **The jeeps stopped on a hill overlooking a waterhole. Woods sat in the passenger seat of Tully's jeep with his hands tied in front of him and said, "That's where we meet when we have something for that German Dietrich. We give him what he wants and he pays us. We were expecting a pretty penny for your friend."**

 **Troy scanned the area and spotted Moffitt sitting on the truck's running board. "He's there. Let's go get him."**

 **Hitch pointed and said, "Look out there, sarge. Looks like Dietrich's coming to pick up his cargo."**

 **Troy noticed that the German column wasn't in a hurry and looked over at Woods. "Does Dietrich know he's picking up Moffitt?"**

 **Woods shook his head. "No, we figured it would be a nice surprise for the captain, since he was making this pick up anyway."**

" **Okay. Tully, you and Hitch get Woods out and tied up. We'll come back for him after we get Moffitt."**

 **##################**

 **Cox checked his watch, then said, "I'm surprised you haven't tried to escape, Jack, seeing how I've been nice enough not to tie you up."**

 **Moffitt didn't look at his foe as he said, "Other than the fact that your men would shoot me before I could get far, where would I go?"**

" **Ahh … both are good points. Captain Dietrich should be here soon, then…"**

 **The sound of a 50 caliber machine gun interrupted the conversation. Cox spun around to see his men falling without having gotten a shot off. He reached for his holstered pistol, but was bowled over when Moffitt lunged for him.**

 **When the two men hit the dirt and began to struggle, the gun was knock out of Cox's hand. It didn't take long for Moffitt to subdue Cox with a hard punch to the jaw.**

 **As the sergeant stood up, hauling Cox up with him, Tully stopped the jeep next to them and said, "Let's go, sarge! Dietrich and his men will be here any minute!"**

 **Moffitt gave a nod and pushed his prisoner toward the jeep. Cox dug in his heels and said calmly, "I'm not going with you."**

 **Moffitt said just as calmly, "You don't seem to have much choice, Roger."**

 **Cox reached into his jacket and pulled out an American grenade. "I'm afraid I do have a choice, Jack. Now that you know that I'm out here, you'll stop at nothing to make sure I'm taken into custody. Isn't that right?"**

 **As Moffitt nodded, Hitch pulled up next to Tully and Troy questioned, "What's the hold up? We have to get out of here!"**

 **Cox pulled the grenade's pin, keeping his fist tightly around it to hold the lever down and Moffitt said, "You don't have to do this, Roger."**

 **Cox slowly backed up until his back was against the side of the truck. "But I'm afraid I do, Jack. You see, when I got out of prison I promised myself I'd never go back. I'm willing to let Danny boy have the business."**

 **Troy said, "Sorry, but your friend won't be taking over anything for a long time. How do you think we found you?"**

 **Cox sighed with a shrug. "All the more reason to get this over with then. I suggest you leave now, Jack. When I drop this, I'll be going up with this truck full of stolen fuel and supplies." He smiled and said, "I can't very well let the good captain have it for free once I'm gone, now can I."**

 **Troy growled, "Let's go, Moffitt. He's made his choice."**

 **Moffitt took a deep breath and walked to the jeep. He slid in next to Tully and took one final look at Cox as the private gunned the engine to get going.**

 **Before they reached the top of the hill to pick up Woods there was a large explosion. When they looked out at the waterhole, there was nothing but a smoldering black mass of twisted unrecognizable metal. There was no sign of Cox's body.**

 **Hitch and Tully untied Woods and stood him up to retie his hands in front of him. The prisoner asked, "What was that explosion? Where's Roger?"**

 **Hitch said, "I'm afraid, 'Danny boy', you've gone out of business."**

 **As the privates put Woods in Hitch's jeep, they all watched Captain Dietrich's column pull into the waterhole.**

 **Troy looked at his counterpart. "You okay?"**

 **Moffitt nodded with sad look. "He treated me well. Never even tied me up."**

" **You're not feeling sorry for him, are you?"**

" **Roger would say it's one of my weaknesses."**

 **Troy shook his head. "Compassion isn't a weakness. It's what makes us human." Moffitt looked at his friend with a slight smile, which Troy returned readily as he took a silver charm with** **Tommy Touchwud on it out** **of his shirt pocket.**

 **Moffitt took the charm, holding it tightly in his fist. "Thank you, Troy. Maybe there's something to this lucky charm business after all. You had it, and was able to find me."**

 **Troy handed Moffitt his beret as he shook his head and turned toward the jeeps as he said, "Let's go home."**


End file.
